This morning I have been contemplating the fact that Jesus became human, and in that, experienced a truly human life, including being a helpless in fact, newly born. I was thinking through these verses in Luke 2:21-32 NIV:
[21] "On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
[22] When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord [23] (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord” ), [24] and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
[25] Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. [26] It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. [27] Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, [28] Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
[29] “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. [30] For my eyes have seen your salvation, [31] which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: [32] a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
As I was reading this through, I was remembering the utter helplessness of a few day old child and I was wondering whether Jesus knew who He was at that time? I was thinking about the natural development of a baby, and how the first few months there is very little interaction, or personality evident. The baby is learning and experiencing, just developing quickly, but still very helpless and vulnerable. Clearly God thought all of that through when He decided to have His son become fully human. It really is astounding!
So my question is how much was Jesus, as a baby interacting with His Father in heaven? We know that even in the womb, that the Holy
Spirit was upon Him, because the reaction of Elizabeth, and John who was still in the womb (Luke 1:39-45). So are our spirits fully functional as a baby? Do we develop spiritually as well as physically? Are we conscious of the difference at that point in one's life?
Personally I have seen babies respond to the power of the Holy Spirit, so I believe our spirits are fully functional even as a baby. I believe there was a level of communication between the Father and Jesus, but clearly not the type of understanding Jesus would later develop. I believe that the Lord does put spiritual deposits into us as babies, and I believe that children operate in spiritual giftings early on, as well. Just interesting things to think on...
Regardless of all these questions and thoughts, we do know that Jesus came, was born fully human, having chosen to live as us, emptying himself of his divinity. Paul writes about this in his letter to the Philippians 2:6-8 NIV:
[6] "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; [7] rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. [8] And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death---even death on a cross!"
The Young's Literal translation says this:
Philippians 2:6-8 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
6 "...who, being in the form of God, thought [it] not robbery to be equal to God,
7 but did empty himself, the form of a servant having taken, in the likeness of men having been made,
8 and in fashion having been found as a man, he humbled himself, having become obedient unto death -- death even of a cross,.."
It really is amazing. Thank You Jesus for humbling Yourself to become like us, so that You might fulfill the requirements perfectly and open the way for us to come to the Father.
No comments:
Post a Comment